NORWALK, Ohio -- The sobs of the Wadsworth Grizzlies could be heard through a thick wood locker room door.

The celebration, the trophy raising and the chant of "Just like last year" from Toledo Notre Dame Academy and its girls basketball fans had died down. But the tears of the Grizzlies still fell.

For the third straight year, Wadsworth's road to Columbus ended in a Division I regional final with a loss to the Eagles.

On Saturday at Norwalk, the Eagles' height and perimeter presence halted the Grizzlies, 51-42.

For Wadsworth coach Andy Booth, he was disappointed for the feelings his team had to feel.

"It’s so tough for them to get that close and then you can’t reach that next step," Booth said. "It’s hard for me because I know how bad the kids wanted it. It’s tough. These seniors did a great job and I think maybe not a lot was expected of them coming into the year. But to get back to this point and fight arguably a couple of the top teams in the state all the way down to the wire and still give yourself a chance to win.

"I think it says a lot about our kids character. I don’t care what the score says, they’re champions."

As Booth spoke, player after player walked out of the locker with eyes red from tears.

Coming into the game, seniors Hannah Centea and Peyton Booth had a feeling about the game. They thought this would be the one.

"We knew they were a good team but something felt right," Peyton Booth said. "I don’t know. It’s just what happens I guess."

At the end of the first quarter the score was 12-all. Peyton Booth picked up three fouls. Wadsworth struggled to score anything in the post. The Eagles' starting lineup boasts four players 6-foot or taller. The Grizzlies top out with three players at 5-foot-10.

In the second quarter, they struggled defending Notre Dame's three-point shooters, allowing nine points from beyond the arc. Notre Dame went into the locker room at the half with a three point lead.

Just two minutes into the third quarter, Peyton Booth picked up her fourth foul. She sat on the bench clearly frustrated but being the floor general from the sideline, coaching and cheering on her team.

"I wanted to be on the floor so bad," Peyton Booth said, "but I knew pouting and sitting there wasn’t going to get us anywhere so I might as well keep encouraging them and do what I could and that’s what I could do."

The Grizzlies kept the score within four. Notre Dame scored just nine points, but Wadsworth scored only eight.

"The bottom line is they have a few more thoroughbreds in the stable," Andy Booth said.

At the start of the fourth, Wadsworth was down by four. In the first 4:15 of the quarter, the Eagles went on a 7-2 run. Wadsworth struggled to break inside the arc and the Eagles' coaches cheered when they kept point guard Centea near half court.

Centea still found ways to break through, but those four minutes left a big impact.

In the final 3:45, Wadsworth scored nine points to the Eagles' seven but missed five 3-pointers and had a shot blocked.

With 18.3 seconds remaining, Peyton Booth picked up her fifth foul, tried to bite back the tears and crumpled on the bench.

After their final game together, Andy Booth fought off tears outside the locker room.

"That was rough," he said.

Nearly 20 minutes after the buzzer sounded, Peyton Booth and Centea were the last Grizzlies to push open the heavy wood locker room door.

"I have to give it to my teammates," Centea said, trying to smile. "I couldn't have done it without them."

Peyton struggled to talk through her tears, "This is the worst feeling I've ever had. It's not that we lost but the fact that I'm never going to play with these girls or ever play for my dad again. It's really hard."

Then the seniors of a two-loss team that was ranked No. 1 in both the state poll and cleveland.com's Top 25 this season walked out to the court of their final high school game and were enveloped in the arms of family and friends.

There was no door to stifle their sobs.

Contact high school sports reporter Stephanie Kuzydym by email (skuzydym@cleveland.com) or on Twitter (@stephkuzy). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

Follow Us

cleveland.com is powered by Plain Dealer Publishing Co. and Northeast Ohio Media Group. All rights reserved (About Us).The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Northeast Ohio Media Group LLC.